Socks for an Otter

by Posy Roberts

  In a low voice, Blanche asked, “Did I understand that correctly? You’re currently . . .”

  “Homeless. Yes.”

  “Are you working right now?”

  “No. Between jobs. I got fired the day after the last sweep. The city tossed my phone charger, so I slept through my shift. First time that ever happened.”

  She sighed. “But because your employer knew you were homeless, they assumed you weren’t reliable. Tell me I’m wrong.”

  “You’re not wrong.”

  “Well, I might have something for you. It would be consulting work. Nothing regular, so that might be hard for you if you’re trying to fit shift work around that.”

  “I’ll try it. I’ll try anything.”

  She nodded. “And depending on what I see and what direction we decide to head in, I might be able to hire you on as staff.”

  Sebastian tried not to get too excited; he had to temper himself. “And who do you represent? Please tell me it’s not some religious organization trying to convert people. We have enough of those. We need more secular helpers.”

  “One hundred percent secular.” She passed him her business card, and he smiled when he recognized the logo.

  “Wow. Your organization has helped me so many times. You do great work, but if I can help make it even better by giving you my firsthand account or put you in contact with other people, I’d be . . . honored.” He swelled with pride. “Thank you.”

  “Email me your work experience. Even the unpaid stuff. I know most places don’t give a shit about that, but I do. That’s the stuff that builds character.”

  “Again, thank you. I’ll let you get back to the party.”

  She drifted away and Sebastian took a few deep breaths to clear the bubbles in his head. He refused to bat away the excitement that danced in his gut, however.

  He tried to find Louis. He didn’t want to keep this to himself, and Louis was the only person who’d get how big of a deal this was. Maybe the app he’d talked about could be pitched to the group, or maybe they’d help fund it.

  You needed money to pay for app development, right? And knowing Louis, he’d want this to be bigger than DC. Sure, DC could be the guinea pig; at least here there were people Sebastian could talk to about it, to see what worked on the app, what people found useless. But then go wider so people could find services they needed in the city where they lived.

  Allow filtering for LGBTQ-friendly places would be something Sebastian would insist on. And a huge resource section that included educational videos on cooking outdoors, how to store food safely. Nutrition. A map to show public toilets, pay-showers, and coin-laundry locations. And a whole section on grants and scholarships so people could work their way out of homelessness.

  As a server passed, he grabbed another prosecco. He had to find Louis. He needed to share all his thoughts before his head exploded or he forgot.

  20

  Not A Romance

  Louis left Sebastian in good hands. Blanche was good people, and she would likely get him three job contacts before the end of the night. He’d hoped she would be here so he could make introductions, but that had been done with no intervention on his part.

  Sebastian had drawn a crowd minutes after they’d arrived.

  Was it his infectious laugh? His confidence? It oozed from him, and even though Louis could spot flickering moments of insecurity, no one else picked up on it.

  Not even Gerald, the clueless bastard. Now that Louis had led him away, he wasn’t sure Gerald got that Sebastian was homeless. These parties and a homeless guy didn’t quite fit in the same box for Gerald, and he likely read Sebastian’s phone example as a metaphor. Either way, Louis was beyond proud of Sebastian for owning that so fearlessly. And while he was passionate about everything when he spoke, that hard edge Louis had first cut himself on wasn’t there.

  Sebastian was educating in that moment, not throwing up shields.

  “So, who’s the lovely young man you brought?” Oscar asked as he pulled Louis into his side and left his arm around Louis’s shoulder, bodily turning him to the man in question. Oscar was more like a brother or cousin than his boss. They’d been at each other’s sides during some intense shit, both work and personal, and they were glued together now.

  “You think he’s lovely, huh?” Louis beamed.

  “You and I aren’t the only ones. Blanche is smitten, but when I was filling my plate, I overheard that he’s homeless. Is that right?”

  “He is. Temporarily.”

  “Are you earning your angel wings?”

  “You sound like Leah. It’s not like that, Oscar.”

  “Then how is it?”

  “I don’t know. I like him. A lot. He’s amazing and has taught me so much. Not just about him and his life, but about me.”

  “So he gets you out of your head?”

  “I guess. He makes me feel like a hopeful twentysomething again. But I might have to dye the gray at my temples.”

  Oscar chuckled. “Hell no. You earned that premature gray.”

  “Like he earned his wisdom. He’s funny, smart, and wise beyond his years. But humble in a way that proves how much he’s grown up during his struggle.”

  “Uh-oh. I can see it now. He’ll move in before Valentine’s Day, you’ll propose before Memorial Day, and you’ll be married by the Fourth of July.”

  “Geez, Oscar. Stop. That’s way too fast. Just the time we’ve spent together, nonstop basically, is beyond anything I’ve done before. You know how hard dating has been for me.”

  “You’ve been ready to move on for a while. You just needed the right person. At least that’s what I’ve been thinking for months now. And if he has you this worked up, he must’ve shown you who he really is.”

  “Yeah. It’s crazy, but I feel like I’ve known him for months, not days.”

  Oscar gave him a knowing grin. “Maybe he’s as good as he seems. And for your sake, I hope he is. But watch out. Don’t go all-in quite yet. Don’t ask him to live with you. Help him find a place, but you don’t want to set up your relationship with that sort of power imbalance.”

  “Yeah, that’s smart advice. And you know me well enough to know that’s in the back of my mind.”

  Oscar chuckled. “You sure it’s not in the front of your mind? Knowing you, it’s right here.” He tapped right between Louis’s brows.

  Louis rolled his eyes. “I have a spare bedroom. I just use it as my office now, and not all that well. I could transform my storage closet into a workspace where I can get privacy.”

  “Have you mentioned any of this to your young man?”

  Louis shook his head.

  “I think you need to start there before you hire a decorator.”

  “True. And knowing Sebastian, he’ll want to find a place of his own to prove he can make it on his own. The job has been the hardest for him, but I think Blanche might be helping there.”

  Oscar gave a slow nod as he scanned the room, gaze landing on Blanche and Sebastian talking in the corner. Sebastian was animated, laughing with his head thrown back or gesturing wildly.

  “Uninhibited,” Louis whispered.

  Oscar nodded. “The opposite of you, the careful, steady, always well-thought-out guy.”

  “You forgot awkward.”

  “Only when you’re talking off the cuff.”

  “Good thing my main mode of communication is written.”

  Oscar winked and gave Louis’s bicep a squeeze. “Which you do a beautiful job with, so don’t knock it.”

  “Thanks,” Louis said on a sigh. “I like that he brings out that more relaxed side of me that I lost.”

  “Well, let’s see how well he did that. I invited a philanthropist to the cause. He likes what he sees, but my gut tells me he needs to witness the more human elements of what we do.”

  “And you thought of me?” Louis asked with a chuckle.

  The slow nod Oscar gave him was telling. He trusted Louis to be earnest, so he didn’
t want this guy to be sold. That would mean a onetime donor. And where philanthropy was best played was when it was a long-term relationship.

  “Okay. What do I need to know?”

  “Nothing. Just be yourself.”

  Blanche kept slipping back over to Sebastian to introduce him to more and more people. It was fucking crazy how it played out, but not completely unexpected. This was how the rich and powerful did things. If one in person vouched for you, people lined up to find out more. Like you were the next hot thing. No one wanted to be left out of the loop.

  The last thing Sebastian wanted right then was to get wrapped up in that power dynamic, but . . . But he was living in a cardboard box under a bridge, for fuck’s sake.

  Could he really afford pride?

  So he allowed Blanche to lead him around and talk him up. The way she made it sound, he was starting this job with her next week, not just coming in for an interview tomorrow. He played along. What else could he do?

  “Oh, there’s one more person I want you to meet,” Blanche said as she scanned the room. “I don’t see him yet. A bit of a late arriver, this one. But he has farther to travel.” She grabbed two glasses and passed one to Sebastian. Apparently they were waiting this person out.

  A tall, thin woman with dark glasses and a severe look about her called Blanche away.

  Sebastian was glad to have a little bit more time to himself. He hid behind an ornamental pine of some sort, safe from being pulled into another conversation he wasn’t ready for. The lying. The pretending that he was a success but between jobs . . . by choice. Like he’d left on principle. That’s how Blanche had made his circumstances sound.

  If you squinted really hard and stretched the truth from one coast to the other, he left home on principle.

  Haha. Right!

  “Oscar, sorry I’m so late,” a familiar, deep voice said on the other side of the pine. It made Sebastian’s breath catch, and he refused to look.

  “Not a worry.”

  But then another voice he knew responded. “Oscar told me you were a man I should talk to about the Turning Point collaboration,” Louis said, a smile evident in his voice. “You have some interest?”

  “Ah, yes. I’ve been asking questions Oscar couldn’t answer, but he promised me a Louis could.”

  “And that’s me. Louis Drake.”

  “Gabriel Lewis, coincidentally.”

  Sebastian’s stomach landed on his feet.

  His father? Here? Why? And why the hell was he talking to Louis?

  Sebastian tried to peer through the pine, but the fucking lights that decorated it and all the damn ornaments made it a challenge. But he didn’t give up easily. Not anymore. He wasn’t that same person his father knew, the kid who gave up at the first sign of a struggle, throwing his toys down and running to his room.

  So he persisted and moved a branch just so. And there was his father. He looked the same. Tall, sturdy, dressed impeccably.

  Like he’d not lost a wink of sleep since Sebastian had left. Hell, he looked younger.

  Louis was talking shop, speaking about things related to his work that Sebastian didn’t understand. It was legalese or something, but it was also hard to pick up on because he had his back to Sebastian.

  It was times like this that he hated himself for not paying attention in school and never going on to college. If he had, he’d be able to follow along.

  But nooOOOooo.

  Fucking loser. Just like Dad thinks.

  And if his father knew where he was now . . . Fuck. All the proof he needed.

  A woman off to his left said, “Homeless.” It came out weird, like time had slowed, and when he turned to see who spoke, he saw a lady pointing at him.

  He turned back to Louis. He was gonna puke. It wouldn’t be long before word trickled into his father’s ears.

  Unless Louis kept his attention.

  By the time Sebastian was focused again, the conversation on the other side of the tree had shifted to Louis’s background, college, life, work, and landed on what he did for fun. He mentioned building houses and working at soup kitchens and trying to make a difference in bigger ways too.

  It was hazy, details fading as the words met Sebastian’s ears. Until he heard his name.

  Everything was crystal clear when he heard, “Bash, I mean Sebastian, a man I recently met who lives on the streets, he and I talked about developing an app to help the homeless population and hungry find food and shelter. Something that’s more up to date than websites. We’re just in the development stage, but it could go national with the right funding.”

  “What does a policy wonk like you know about app development?” His father’s eyes twinkled. He saw an investment opportunity.

  “I created an app that was eventually bought out and integrated with Snapchat.”

  “So you know something,” his father said with a rumbly chuckle.

  Louis had said his name . . .

  His father didn’t even recognize it.

  No dawning realization.

  No sadness or even anger.

  Not that Sebastian ever expected to be missed, let alone welcomed back.

  Well, that wasn’t even true. He thought he’d be welcomed back once he proved himself. But he hadn’t yet, had he?

  “Oh, Sebastian, there you are!” Blanche said loud enough that the entire room heard as she crossed to him. “I lost you, my little imp. I need you to meet Gabriel now that he’s here.”

  She pulled him away from his hiding spot, exposing him to his father, but there wasn’t a flicker of recognition as they made eye contact.

  Thank God!

  “I have to go,” Sebastian told Blanche. He just needed to get out of there. Now.

  He rushed for the entryway, missing most people but unbalancing a server. He grabbed his coat, shot out the door, and jammed his arms into the thin sleeves as he ran, stumbling on slick spots of black ice.

  He didn’t know where he was. Not truly. So he ran until he was far enough away from the party house that no one—Louis—would be able to see him if they followed after. He didn’t think Louis even spotted him, what with his back to him, but all it would take were a few well-placed words and he . . .

  Sebastian didn’t have a damn clue what would happen.

  Why would Louis chase after him? This wasn’t some fucking romance. Louis would be thrilled to be rid of him. He’d been mooching for days.

  And Sebastian would make it even easier by disappearing from his world.

  He had a world of his own to go back to. It was time. He’d lived in this fantasy long enough. It was time to go back to the only thing he called home.

  21

  Much Too Late

  There was a commotion. Louis had been midsentence, focused on impressing Gabriel with his “earnest magic” Oscar insisted he had, when the commotion started. He’d missed what caused it. He paid attention now that the whole room was hushed.

  “Was that . . . ?” Gabriel said. “No. It couldn’t be.”

  Louis turned to see Blanche, well, blanched. She was white as a ghost.

  “What happened?” Louis asked.

  “Sebastian just . . . took off,” she said. “I don’t know what I said. I don’t know what happened. He was terrified. Like a deer caught in headlights. I hope—”

  “Sebastian?” Gabriel asked. “As in Sebastian Lewis?”

  Blanche looked to Louis for confirmation, and he said, “Yes.” Realization slowly dawned on them both.

  “Gabriel Lewis. Are you related?” Blanche asked, forming words faster than Louis put everything together.

  “You’re his father.” Louis couldn’t keep the accusation out of his tone. In the last few days, he’d learned to hate this man who never prepared his son for the real world and then just tossed him out of the nest, expecting him to somehow know how to fly with clipped wings.

  “I’ve never seen him with a beard, but . . . It had to be him. Partying in DC now, huh? He’s crashing with
a friend in Tribeca. Has been for months.”

  Louis stared at him, agape. “He’s homeless,” Louis managed, only a whisper as he realized that the billionaire Oscar wanted as a philanthropic donor they could rely on was the father who’d rejected the man he . . . the man he really, really liked.

  Gabriel chuckled, breaking Louis’s musings. “Sebastian? Sebastian wouldn’t last a day on the streets. He doesn’t even know how to boil water.”

  “He’s lasted months, actually,” Louis growled. No thanks to you, he somehow managed to keep in.

  “Such a lovely man,” Blanche said, fingertips pressed to her lips and brows drawn tight. “He’s meeting with me tomorrow. But he looked so upset. Scared. I hope he’ll still show.”

  “If I have any say in this, he’ll be there,” Louis said with a nod.

  The look Gabriel gave him was blooming with skepticism, and Louis had to leave . . . now . . . or he would bite his head off. But Oscar needed Gabriel’s philanthropy to better Turning Point.

  He gave Gabriel a serious look and told him, “I need to find him. Tell Oscar I had to leave?”

  Blanche said, “I’ll deal with Oscar.”

  Louis grabbed his coat and ran, heading toward his car. Sebastian wasn’t there. Why would he be?

  For fuck’s sake, it looked like he was making plans with Gabriel about their app, going behind Sebastian’s back to get cash from his father. No doubt, it looked like a power grab from Sebastian’s point of view.

  He never should’ve let Oscar pull him away. Or Blanche. He should’ve stuck to Sebastian like glue all night long.

  Sebastian had looked genuinely relaxed and happy to be there socializing. A natural. But that was a stark contrast to what Blanche described. She said Sebastian looked terrified. Louis had never seen Sebastian scared. Not scared enough to just . . . take off without a word.